AN ANDOVER charity has ‘wind in its sails’ after returning to its roots and celebrating a special milestone last weekend.

The Jamie G Sporting Trust hosted its fundraising gala at The Lights on Saturday.

The event raised £10,610 and was the 10th in the charity’s history, but its first since 2017.

Since then, the trust had been focusing its efforts on a legacy project, but has since reverted to its origins, and on Saturday it announced the official opening of its next round of funding applications.

Speaking after the event, new chairman Tommy Gentleman said: “We are making a big statement to say that we are very much active and ready to make a big difference.”

The Jamie G Sporting Trust was founded in 2009 in memory of young Andover sportsman Jamie Gentleman, who died just days before his 14th birthday due to an undetectable heart condition.

The trust has since provided tens of thousands of pounds to local sports clubs in memory of Jamie, including recent donations to Streets Ahead and Andover and District Netball Association earlier this year.

On Saturday the charity presented a further £3,847 to Andover Rugby Football Club, with more donations to follow with funding applications now open.

Tommy added: “Our purpose is to increase participation in sport for the youth of Andover and we encourage any team, club, organisation or individual needing funding to go to our website and fill out the application form.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped us and believed in our cause from day one up until this very moment.

“We believe in youth and we believe in Andover.”

Tommy and the team are optimistic for the trust’s future, with high hopes of giving back to a community that helped them so much ten years ago.

Speaking before Saturday’s event, Tommy said: “We’ve got new ideas and new, fresh energy – we’ve got the wind in our sails.

“At the end of the day the community helped us to create this when we didn’t have an answer for how we felt and what we were going to do.

“We have combined that community spirit with Jamie’s love for sport to create what this charity does, which is getting kids to take part in sport.”